It can sometimes be hard to see what you are doing wrong in your lifestyle because, well, it’s your lifestyle.
But your daily routine could be the cause of your shoulder pain, and the reason it keeps coming back or getting worse!
Because your habits are so well known to you, it can become second nature and you miss things that could be leading to tight, stiff, painful shoulders – things like reading before bed, looking on your phone or tablet, or being too busy on a morning to loosen up your shoulders.
But what if I told you that all of these could be making your shoulder pain worse?
That all these movements cause unnecessary shoulder strain, leaving you in pain the next day?
To help, I share 3 simple, but effective ways to avoid shoulder pain as part of your day-to-day routine…
1 – Stretch On A Morning
First things first, when you wake up, don’t forget to stretch. I know this is something I say often but it’s because a stretch can often be underestimated.
Imagine this… someone has been in the same position for roughly 8 hours, without much movement. Would you think that they would need to stretch afterwards?
I bet your answer would be – yes! Exactly.
You may have woken up but your shoulder joints haven’t yet. It’s like going for a run without warming up.
So with this in mind, do some shoulder stretch before you get up.
Even if it’s just for a few minutes.
It’s better than doing nothing, and some quick shoulder exercises could be enough to lubricate your joints, get them moving and reduce the stiffness you are struggling with early in the day.
2 – Be Smart With Smartphones and Tablets
Looking at your phone or tablet has to be one of the worst culprits for shoulder pain.
Yes, looking at your phone or tablet can have an effect on your neck as well, but the pain often starts at the neck and spreads to your shoulders.
I understand that you may need to check emails on your tablet, or are very popular on your phone but with many of us spending hours on our devices, it interrupts our body’s natural state.
Since your head is facing down using these devices can result in poor posture and slouching. What most people don’t know is that your head is supposed to be in a position were your ears are in line with your shoulders.
As soon as you start looking down, your body is more likely to feel a strain in the neck and shoulders.
Advice…
My advice on this would be to either, only use your phone for about 10 minutes at a time to avoid strain. As for other devices, now we have cases for them that can sometimes provide stands for tablets and e-readers! Perfect!
My tip here would be to take advantage of the stand and use it, so that your eyes do the adjusting, not your head!
This also goes for reading at night too. I understand that reading at night is sometimes a habit picked up as a child, which is a great habit to pick up. For your body however, it can sometimes have an effect on your posture.
3 – Improve Your Reading Habits
Another problem that can come from reading at night is actually from holding the book. It’s not something you really think about but holding a book cause shoulder muscles to be tensed.
Not only this but your neck is also likely to be tensed to keep you upright while reading.
Now think of how long you read for.
How many times do you say, ‘just one more chapter’ before you finally drift off?
I really love this habit, so I would recommend to continue reading, but to only sit in the same position for up to 20 minutes.
And if you are reading for longer, move your shoulders, neck and anywhere else that’s prone to aches and pains to reduce the chance of discomfort when you close your book.
Great Way To Avoid Shoulder Pain In Future
Another great way of thinking about your shoulder pain throughout the day is to think about when it occurs.
Is it when you tend to carry the shopping, when you sit at work or while you exercise?
If you have an idea when it occurs, then focus on making sure your head is straight and your ears are in line with your shoulders.
This is the best tip that I know and if you apply it as much of your daily routine as possible, you will start to know a difference.
If you’d like more quick tips like this to help ease shoulder pain, click below where you can download my Free Neck And Shoulder Pain Guide instantly: How To Ease Annoying, Daily, Irritating Neck and Shoulder Pain Naturally
Want To Speak To A Physical Therapist About Your Shoulder Pain?
If you or a loved one is experiencing shoulder pain, contact Impact Physical Therapy today to learn how physical therapy can help relieve (or even eliminate) your problem!
You can arrange one of a limited number of Free Discovery Sessions in our Siouxland clinics (Sioux City and Akron). In this session, you can speak to our team, get your questions answered and find out the most effective treatment options that have worked for hundreds of our past patients struggling with shoulder problems.
Alternatively, we offer a Free Telephone Consultation where you can speak to a member of the team from the comfort of your own home.
Unsure Whether We Can Help Your Shoulder Pain?
Wes Yates, one of our patients, was struggling with shoulder pain for a long time before coming to our clinic:
“My shoulder was bothering me for months and within 7 sessions, I am back to normal.”
If your shoulder pain isn’t going away, contact us just like Wes did and get back normal fast!
Start by arranging your Free Discovery Visit or call us on (712) 560-0460 today for natural pain relief, and a long term solution to your shoulder pain.
Other Ways To Help Reduce The Common Aches And Pains
Read Our Blog – 5 Common Causes of Shoulder Pain That Physical Therapy Can Help
Read Our Blog – What Is The Best Treatment For Arthritis In The Lower Back?
Follow Us On Social Media – Impact Physical Therapy and Wellness
Proudly voted #1 for Physical Therapy at the Siouxland’s Choice Awards (2022) and proud Physical Therapy and Recovery Session provider to the Sioux City Bandits.
- Harnessing the Power of Regenerative Technologies: EMTT and ESWT for Arthritic Knee Pain Relief - May 19, 2024
- Fix Your Discomfort Fast With These 3 Neck Pain Exercises - April 18, 2024
- Learn How to Relieve Rotator Cuff Pain at Night - March 26, 2024